Washing-machine



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WASHING MACHINE. No. 469,846. Patented'Mar. 1, 1 892.

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No. 469,846. -Pa.tented Mar. 1', 1892.

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I IUNITED STATES PATENT OFF CE.

ROBERT H. SMITH, OF LAMPASAS, TEXAS.

WASHING-MACHINE.

. SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 469,846, dated March 1, 1892.

Application filed May 2, 1891- Serial No. 391,395. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, ROBERT 1-1. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lampasas, in the county of Lampasas and State of Texas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Washing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in washing-machines; and it consists, substantially, in such features of arrangement, construction, and combinations of parts as will be hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

The invention has reference more particularly to that class of washing-machines known as reciprocating rubber, and it has for its object, first, to provide a novel, simple, and efficient washing-machine of the character referred to which shall enable the washing of clothes or garments tobe effected with but little exertion to the operator and with but comparatively little wear to the garments themselves ,second, to provide novel means forthe quick and ready handling or manipulation of the reciprocating rubbers proper, whereby they maybe elevated outof the wayto facilitate the proper placing of the garments upon the traveling aprons with which such reciprocating rubbers co-operate in the washing process; and, finally, the invention has for its ob ject to provide a novel washing-machine of the character referred to which shall be both simple and inexpensive in its construction and one which shall effectually perform its work, all as will more fully hereinafter appear, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure lrepresents a longitudinal sideelevation of a washing-machine constructed in accordance with my invention, the same being taken from the side onwhich are arranged the devices for locking and holding the reciprocating rubbers to their elevated positions when raised out of the way to enable the garments to be properly placed within the tank, the said figure representing the reciprocating rubbers as being so raised or elevated. Fig. 2 is a top or plan view with the upper crosspiece removed; and Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation taken on the line w a; of Fig. 2, the reciprocating rubbers being shown in position upon the endless belts. Fig. 4 is an end elevation with the reciprocating rubbers lowered; and Fig. 5 is a longitudinal side elevation taken from the side opposite to that shown in Fig. 1, the said figure representing the employment in connection with my machine of a suitable heating apparatus, by which hot water maybe occasionally or continuously supplied to one or both compartments of the tank. Fig. 6 is a view in perspective of one of the endless aprons and its carrying-rolls, the said figure being intended to represent more clearly the manner in which such apron is made, so as to enable it to be readily removed from the rolls when desired while the latter are in place within the machine. 7

Before proceeding with a more detailed description I desire to state that in the practice of my invention I resort to the use of a tank preferably rectangular in shape and which is divided into two large or scrubbing compartments and a smaller central compartment in which is arranged the supports upon and be-,

tween which the operative mechanism is arranged or mounted. Arranged within each scrubbing-compartment is an endless traveling apron or band, which is carried by rollers .in the usual well-known way, and these bands are constituted of strong cord-netting having suitable fastenings on their adjacent or meeting edges, by which said bands may be readily removed from their rollers, when desired for the purpose of soaping them or otherwise.

Working in connection with the endless bands or aprons are two longitudinally-reciprocating scrubbers, which are operated by the same mechanism which operates the said bands or aprons, and the said scrubbers are capable of being elevated and held up out of the way while the clothing or garments are being placed upon the aprons.

In some instances I propose to construct the machine on a large scale for use in hotels,

steam-laundries, and the like, in which case I employ a suitable heater, by which hot water may be kept supplied to either one or both of the scrubbing-compartments; but it will be understood that for mere household purposes the maohine will only be constructed on a scale commensurate with the duties required of it, and therefore the heater will no be used.

Reference being had to the several. parts of the drawings by the letters marked thereon, A represents the washingtank which, as shown, is constructed of the large or main compartments a a and a smaller central compartment b, the said main compartments having suitable outlets a for the water, as shown. Arranged within said large or main compartment is a set of small rollers c, which are preferably round in shape, and carried by each set of rollers is an endless traveling band or apron d, which is made up or constituted of strong cord-netting, as shown, having suitable fastenings e for lacing or tightening the-same around the rolls and also for enabling the same to be readily removed from the rolls for any purpose whatever. The inner and outer roller of each set is a little larger than the remaining ones, so as to enable proper action of the belt or band, and to one of the shafts of said inner rolls is arranged a pulley f, around which passes a belt or chain for operating said rolls to actuate the belts or aprons in the manner hereinafter more fully explained.

Supported within the inner compartmentb to either side of the tank are two uprights or posts 0 C, united by cross-pieces g g, as shown, and mounted upon the upper cross-piece is a grooved wheel or pulley h, around which passes the chain or belt 1', which operates the several parts of the machine simultaneously. The said chain or beltz' also passes around the pulleys f on the inner rolls which carr the band or apron d as well as a similar pulley j, arranged on the drive-shaft. D, intermediate of said pulleys f. (See dotted lines, Fig. 3.)

The drive-shaft is provided on its outer end with the usual drive or band Wheel E, while carried by the inner end thereof is a crank or eccentric G, to which are pivoted the. inner ends of two pitmen 7c, the outer ends of which are in turn centrally connected to the frames Z, in which are held or supported the scrubbers m,which, as here shown, are composed of a pair of disks connected by horizontal parallel bars angular in cross-secti0n. The disks are supported by an axle or shaft journaled in the frame I, so that the scrubber can rotate as it is moved back and forth through the medium of a pitman 7c and crank G.

The driving-shaft D can, if desired, be rotated by a crank-handle, which is shown detached in Fig. 4.; but as this constitutes no part of my invention a further description thereof is not deemed essential.

Supported between the uprights O C and supplementary posts 0 O are two drums or shafts n, around which are wound in oppovided at each of their ends with the hooks p.

These hooks are received into corresponding eyes q, secured in the ends of the frames Z, which hold and support the scrubbing devices rm, and it is by means of the lifting-bars that the said devices are raised or elevated from the aprons or bands d.

Each shaft or drum it carries on one of its ends a notched wheel or disk 8, so that when said shafts or drums have been turned and the scrubbers elevated they may be locked in such position by means of a pegs, placed within one of the notches and entering an opening (not shown) in the side of the upright. As one means of holding the shafts or drums against movement after the scrubbers m have been raised or elevated I have shown in Fig. 1 a bolt t for entering the notches of the disks, which bolt works in a suitable guide to, secured to the side of the upright The bolt 25 may be held in its position of engagement with the disk s by frictional contact with the guide it, in which the bolt moves; but obviously other means can be employed to retain the bolt in engagement with the disk if such bolt be located beneath the disk, as in the drawings.

In cases where it is desired to construct the machine on a large scale, it is sometimes preferable to employ in connection with-the machine a suitable heating apparatus, by which hot water may be supplied to either one 01' both of the tanks.

In Fig. 5 I have shown one form of heating apparatus, in which F represents a suitable furnace, and G a vessel for containing the water to be heated. The heated water is supplied to either one or both of the tanks by means of a pipe u, provided with a valve 1;, by which the supply may be put on or shut 01f, as occasion may require;

From the foregoing description it is thought the construction and arrangement of the several parts contributing to make up my invention will be perfectly clear, and it is further thought that the operation of said parts will be fully understood without further explanation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a washing-machine, the combination of a tank divided into two scrubbing-compartments, .a series of scrubbing-rollers arranged in each compartment and encircled by an endless traveling apron, a rotating crank-shaft interposed between the two compartments and provided with a pair of pitmen extending therefrom in opposite directions and each having a pendent holdingframe, a rotating scrubber journaled in the holdingframe, a pair of independent liftingbars having hooks to detachably engage the holding-frames of the pitmen, independent winding-drums and elevating-cords connected with the lifting-bars for raising either of the scrubbers at the will of the operator, and an endless. belt transmitting motion from the crank-shaft to one of each series of scrubbingrollers, substantially as described.

2.. In a washing-machine, the combination of a tank divided into scrubbing-compartments, a series of scrubbing-rollers arranged in each compartment and encircled by an endless traveling apron, a reciprocating scrubber arranged above each set of scrubbingrollers, a crank connected with both scrubbers for reciprocating the same, a pair of independent cord-windingdrums, each provided at one extremity with a notched disk, a pair of independentlifting-cords extending round the drums in reverse directions, a pair of independent lifting-bars secured to the liftingcords for elevating either one of the scrubbers, and pegs or bolts for engaging the notched disks to lock the drums against rotation, substantially as'described.

3. In a washing-machine, the combination of a tank subdivided into two scrubbing-compartments and an interposed compartment from which rises a pair of uprights O, a set of scrubbing-rollers arranged in each scrubbingcompartment and encircled by an endless traveling apron, a shaft journaled in one of the uprights and provided with a crank G,

having a pair of pitmen lo extending in opposite directions therefrom, a holding-frame l, suspended from the outer extremity of each pitman, a rotating scrubber m, journaled in each holding-frame, a pair of independent lifting-bars 0, having hooks p to. detachably engage the two holding-frames, a pair of independent cord-winding drums n, journaled in the uprights and having cords wound thereupon in reverse directions and connected with the lifting-bars for raising either one of the scrubbers at the will of the operator, and an endless belt transmitting motion from the crank-shaft to one of each series of scrubbingrollers, substantially as described.

, 4. In a washing-machine, the combination, with a tank divided into two scrubbing-compartments and provided with an upright frame 0 O, a set of scrubbing-rollers 0, arranged in each scrubbing-compartment, and

one of such rollers provided with a pulley f,

an endless traveling apron d, encircling each set of scrubbing-rollers, a pair of reciprocating scrubbers m, a drive-shaft D, provided with a pulley j, and having a crank G connected with both scrubbers, a pulley h, journaled on the upright frame, and an endless belt 2', engaging the pulleys of the scrubbingrollers and passing over the pulley on the upright frame and the pulley on the drivingshaft for simultaneously imparting a traveling movement to both endless aprons, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT H. SMITH. [L. 8.]

lVitnesses:

W. F. GILBERT, JAMES DEERING. 

